CEBU CITY -- The fluvial procession of the Señor Sto. Niño image on Saturday morning, Jan. 14, was generally peaceful with no untoward incidents whatsoever.
Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office, said the number of people who joined the fluvial procession and the foot procession exceeded their estimate.
“I cannot give figures but the crown was more than what we expected. We are happy that the activity ended orderly and peacefully,” Dalogdog said.
The Señor Sto. Niño was brought from Lapu-Lapu City to Cebu City aboard BRP Cabra of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The vessel also carried the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
After the image was unloaded at Pier 1 in Cebu City, a foot procession toward Basilica Minore del Santo Niño followed.
At least 350 police personnel were deployed to secure the activity.
Members of the PCG and Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command also joined the fluvial procession.
The sea parade, which was part of the celebration of the 458th Fiesta Señor, started at 6 a.m. from the Mactan Channel to the South Road Properties then back to Pier 1 in Cebu City.
According to Commander Mark Larsen Mariano of Coast Guard Central Cebu, there were 189 registered vessels that participated in the fluvial procession.
The number of vessels that joined the seaborne procession reached at least 400 because there were unregistered vessels that joined at the last minute, said Mariano.